Did you know that, in 1934, the ABC developed 'synthetic' cricket, in which radio broadcasters gave a ball-by-ball description of the game, using sound effects to simulate the sound of bat on ball and the applause of the crowd?

The Big Book of Australian History features stunning images from the collections of the National Library of Australia. It also tells the stories of some of the most significant contributors to Australia's cultural, political, sporting and social life, including Captain James Cook, Governor Lachlan Macquarie, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and aviator Charles Kingsford Smith.

The Big Book of Australian History by Peter Macinnis has been awarded a CBCA Eve Pownall notable book 2014. See the full list here.